Cultivating resilience after a challenging gMG diagnosis
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Jasmine Nathan was diagnosed with generalized myasthenia gravis with thymoma in 2018, but now has her gMG fully managed. (Photo courtesy of Jasmine Nathan)
This is Jasmine Nathan’s story:
It was the summer of 2018 in Chicago. I was trying to balance everything. I had a husband, a stepson, a thriving career — and a job interview. I remember taking a picture in the mirror that morning in my white top and gray skirt, and thinking I looked good.
“I will get this job, and my husband and I will buy this house.”
Until the next day, when I drove my stepson to his day care, and I realized I couldn’t see the sun, which seemed to obstruct my view.
This had never happened to me before. I managed to get back home to call a friend to take me to the hospital. I am a veteran, so we went to a Veterans Affairs facility. I went to see an eye doctor, but at that point, the doctor couldn’t figure out what was going on. It began to get worse later in the day.
I was sent to get an MRI scan of my brain, and it took about an hour. It was at this point that I was truly worried, and I couldn’t wrap my head around what could possibly be the issue.
During this time, the doctors decided to admit me. I then knew it was serious.
That same night, I had a team of doctors come to my bedside and tell me they wanted to run further tests because they thought I might have multiple sclerosis (MS). I held in my emotions until the doctors left, and I began to cry. I was scheduled for several tests, one being bloodwork, and then a lumbar puncture and a CT scan. A lumbar puncture is when a needle is inserted into your spine to collect fluid, and yes, I objected until I couldn’t.
I can honestly say the lumbar puncture was the worst procedure I have ever endured! The next day, after being poked like a lab rat and examined, the same team of doctors came back and told me that MS was out of the picture and myasthenia gravis, aka MG, was now in. I remember being confused.
I was officially diagnosed with generalized myasthenia gravis — gMG — with thymoma. A thymoma is a rare tumor that can grow slowly and can be cancerous. Mine was not. In 48 hours, life changed so extremely.
MG truly changed my life that year. I ended up resigning from my job, having a robotic thymectomy to remove the tumor, and having to adjust my whole existence.
But fast-forward to 2025! My MG is fully managed, and I proudly advocate for my condition. I’ve transformed my life by securing a new job, relocating, and nurturing a fulfilling relationship.
Cultivating resilience has empowered me to face any challenge head-on, no matter what life throws my way.
In recognition of Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month in June, the Myasthenia Gravis Community Spotlight campaign features a series of stories highlighting the real-life experiences of people affected by myasthenia gravis, written in their own words. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or X for more stories like this, using the hashtag #MGSpotlight, or read the full series here.
